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How does nuclear thermal propulsion work?
Although more than ten reactors of varying power output have been built and tested, as of 2023, no nuclear thermal rocket has flown. [1] Whereas all early applications for nuclear thermal rocket propulsion used fission processes, research in the 2010s has moved to fusion approaches.
Nuclear propulsion includes a wide variety of propulsion methods that use some form of nuclear reaction as their primary power source. The idea of using nuclear material for propulsion dates back to the beginning of the 20th century.
Feb 6, 2024 · Learn how NASA is developing nuclear thermal and electric propulsion systems for future human missions to Mars and deep space exploration. Find out the latest news, facts, and partners of this technology that draws energy from fission instead of chemical reactions.
Dec 18, 2023 · Learn about the benefits, components and capabilities of nuclear thermal propulsion (NTP) for spacecraft and vehicles. NTP uses hydrogen as a propellant and nuclear fission to generate heat and thrust for high efficiency and low mass missions.
- NTP Systems Are Powered By Fission. NTP systems work by pumping a liquid propellant, most likely hydrogen, through a reactor core. Uranium atoms split apart inside the core and release heat through fission.
- NTP Systems Are More Efficient Than Chemical Rockets. NTP rockets are more energy dense than chemical rockets and twice as efficient. Engineers measure this performance as specific impulse, which is the amount of thrust you can get from a specific amount of propellant.
- NTP Systems Won’t Be Used At Launch. NTP systems won’t be used on Earth. Instead, they’ll be launched into space by chemical rockets before they are turned on.
- NTP Systems Will Provide Greater Flexibility. NTP systems offer greater flexibility for deep space missions. They can reduce travel times to Mars by up to 25% and, more importantly, limit a flight crew’s exposure to cosmic radiation.
Jan 25, 2023 · NASA’s current rocket systems (including the Space Launch System which last year sent the Artemis 1 rocket on a historic round-trip to the moon) are based on the century-old, traditional method...
Jul 26, 2023 · NASA Picks Lockheed Martin to Build a Nuclear-Powered Rocket - The New York Times. NASA Seeks a Nuclear-Powered Rocket to Get to Mars in Half the Time. By Kenneth Chang. Published July...
